THE
Clarion
We did the Monster
Mash! Turns out it’s a
graveyard smash.
www.brevard.edu/clarion
Volume 76, Issue 9 SERVING BREVARD COLLEGE SINCE 1935 Oct. 29, 2010
Students indifferent during midterm elections
What issue do you think is most important this
election season?
O&ier/No Response
Environment
Sociat SecuriV
Morals Values
jmmigration
Tgwes
Educstion
Healthcare
Economv and Jobs
10 15 20 25 30 35 40
By Daniel Heyman
Managing Editor
Six out of ten Brevard College students are
planning to vote this election season, according
to a recent poll conducted around campus.
With a nine percent margin of error, meaning
the actual percentage of BC students who plan
to vote is probably between 51 and 69 percent,
BC’s projected turnout is actually higher than
the average college’s. Of course, the actual
turnout is often much lower Voter enthusiasm
may be dying on college campuses across the
nation.
According to a Harvard Institute of Politics
poll, 35 percent of students say they “definitely
plan to vote” in 2010. This is down from 70
percent in 2008, during Obama’s presidential
campaign.
It’s easy to see why students may get fired
up about a presidential election, but conveying
the importance of midterm elections is a much
more difficult task, especially when the average
In this issue...
Campus News:
BC Honors Alumni 2
News:
Tornado Warning Confusion 3
Jones Hosts Haunted House 3
Art Students Travel to Exhibition 3
Sports:
IVIen's Soccer Update 4
Women's Soccer Update 4
Volleyball Plays in Tournament 4
Opinion:
These Hills: Blue Ridge Parkway 6
Arts & Life
Chef Boy-ar-Dave 7
The History of Halloween 7
Odds and Ends:
Your Horoscope 8
American Hero 8
student doesn’t recognize the
names on the ballot.
“I don’t know any of the
candidates running,” said BC
student Jessica Ames. “If I did
I probably would vote.”
Even with record spending
on political advertising in 2010,
candidates are still finding it hard
to get their names recognized by
potential voters. High profile
U.S. Senatorial candidates
like Rand Paul of Kentucky
and Christine O’Donnell of
Delaware have found themselves
in the spotlight, but some, such
as N.C.’s Elaine Marshall, are
still unknown to many voters.
The local government elections are even
more exclusive. In one N.C. Court of Appeals
race, 13 non-partisan candidates’ names appear
on the ballot. With the average student’s time
constraints and low interest in politics, few take
the time to research these names and opt to stay
home on Election Day.
The state of the economy, education, and
healthcare also have many feeling indifferent
towards the upcoming election.
Many students, like other Americans, aren’t
as fond of President Obama as they were in
2008. What was a 60 percent approval rating
in May 2009 is now 44 percent, according to
an AP survey from late September
Even though 47 percent of BC students
claim affiliation with the Democratic Party,
Democrats running for election aren’t exciting
their voter base like they did in 2008.
This may be directly related to the state of
economics and the high unemployment rate
across the U.S., especially in North Carolina. Of
those surveyed at BC, 37 percent said economics
and jobs were the most important issue this
election season. While the U.S. has seen some
growth over the past year, unemployment was
still reported at 9.6 percent in September
The current administration, along with
Congress, haven’t done enough to either fix the
economy or to communicate to voters that they
are actively working toward progress.
The BC student poll suggests a drop in
approval for the Democratic Party, where only
58 percent of those polled said they would vote
along party lines, compared to the polling done
Wliat is your party affiliation?
Independent
24%
Republican 29%
Democrat 47%
on campus in 2008, where even 22 percent of
Republicans said they would probably vote
Democratic.
Currently, Republicans are favored to gain
control of the House of Representatives after the
votes are counted. In the latest Gallup polling,
51 percent of registered voters say they would
vote for the Republican candidate in their district
if the election were held today; 41 percent
say they would support the Democrat. This is
the largest lead for the Republicans in Gallup
polling since 1942.
Early voting is open until 6 p.m. today and
from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at the
library in downtown Brevard. The polls open
on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 2, at 6:30 a.m.
and close at 7:30 p.m.